Folding armchair



April 25, 1 939. B, ADLER I 2,155,522

FOLDING ARMCHAIR I Filed June 4, 1957 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ./%/e/'ATTORNEY.

April 25, 1939 FOLDING ARMCHAIR Filed June 4, 1937 3 Shets-Shet 2AT'TURNEY.

J. B. ADLER 2,155,522

April 25, 1939. I J ADLER 2,155,522

FOLDI NG ARMCHAIR Filed June 4, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. fad 7 B/e/ wr -a ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFHCE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a folding arm chair and particularly to afolding arm chair of simple, inexpensive, sturdy construction adapted tofabricated out of metal.

An object is to provide a folding arm chair adapted to fold flat withthe front and rear legs folded together and with the seat, back and armsfolded substantially within the plane established by the folded legs.

A further object is to provide a folding chair wherein the seat issupported upon front and rear spaced apart fixed pivotal connectionsbetween the front and rear legs and is adapted to fold against the backwithin the plane of the legs when folded.

Another object is the provision of a folded arm chair wherein the frontpair and the rear pair of legs are each pivotally connected intermediatetheir ends with the seat, the front pair having its pivotal connectionwith the seat spaced from the pivot connection of the rear pairtherewith. Furthermore, the front pair of legs is pivotally connectedabove the seat by a pair of links with the rear pair of legs and the twopairs of legs are pivotally connected through a toggle like connectionformed by the back and a pair of arms.

Another object is the provision of a folded arm chair wherein a pair ofarms pivotally connect the back and front pair of legs above the seatand detachably engage the upper extremities of a rear pair of legs whenthe chair is in unfolded occupant receiving position.

A meritorious feature is the construction of such a chair of metalwherein the leg structures are of tubular formation and wherein atubular brace is provided between the spaced apart legs which brace hasbifurcated ends each bifurcation being channel shaped in cross sectionto conform with the leg curvature and extending lengthwise of andembracing the tubular legs.

Another object is the provision of a folding arm chair wherein the frontpair and the rear pair of legs are each pivoted to the seat and a backis pivoted to the rear pair of legs and a pair of arms is pivoted to thefront pair of legs and the back and arms are pivotally connectedtogether. There is a detachable connection between the rear pair of legsand the arms. When the chair is unfolded to occupant receiving positionthe rear legs are detachably connected with the arms. When the chair isin folded flat position the rear legs are detached from the arms and thearms are folded alongside of the back as extensions of the rear legs.Each arm is provided with a socket or channel portion adapted todetachably receive the upper end of a rear leg and a cushion element isinterposed between the end of said leg and the arm.

Other objects, advantages, and meritorious features of my improved chairstructure will more fully appear from the following description,appended claims, and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chair embodying my invention inunfolded occupant receiving position,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same chair at an intermediate stage offolding operation,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same chair folded,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the chair in folded position,

Fig. 5 is a detail of a fragment in perspective illustrating the pivotalconnection of the seat and back with the rear legs,

Fig. 6 is a detail in front elevation and section illustrating thepivotal connection of an arm with a front leg and the back,

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional View taken on 7-? of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on 88 of Fig. 2.

My improved chair is here shown as formed of metal. The legs are oftubular construction. The front legs Hi are spaced apart by a tubularcross member I2. The rear legs H! are spaced apart by a tubular crossmember l6. Each le may be provided with a glider foot iii. A seat 23 ofany suitable construction is pivoted at 22 between the front legsintermediate their ends and at an intermediate portion of the seat. Ashere shown its pivotal connection is a rod 22 extending between thefront legs. The seat is provided with side frame members 24 and a seatpanel secured.

thereon. The rear end of the seat is pivoted between the rear legsintermediate their ends upon pivots offset the plane of the seat asshown particularly in Fig. 5. As here shown a cross frame member 26 issecured along the rear of the seat. This cross member has an upwardhextending ear 2'! at each end mounted upon a pivot 28 carried by a rearleg. Such cross frame member has an upwardly extending rear flangeprotectively overlapping the rear edge of the seat and a downwardlyextending reinforcing flange 23.

A back 30 is provided. It is here shown as having a frame in the form ofan inverted U. The sides 32 of this U-frame are pivoted at their lowerends upon the pivots 28 upon which the seat is swung between the rearlegs.

Each pair of legs extends above the seat as shown. The front pair oflegs and the rear pair of legs are pivotally linked together above theseat by a pair of links 34. This construction is shown particularly inFigs. 1, 2.

A pair of arms is provided. Each arm is indicated as 36. These arms arepivotally connected at their rear ends to opposite sides of the backintermediate its top and bottom by pivot connections 38. The arms arelikewise pivoted adjacent their forward ends to the upper ends of thefront legs. This pivotal connection with the legs may be formed by achannel shaped element 40 secured within each arm. Each arm is hereshown as itself being of channel formation and this channel element 49is securely fitted within the arm channel. The upper end of each frontleg I8 is secured by a pivotal connection 42 within the channel shapedsupport 45 as shown particuarly in Fig. 6. When the chair is folded eachfront leg folds within the channel wherein it is pivoted as shown inFig. 3.

The rear end of this channel shaped member as forms a socket or the likeadapted to detachably receive the upper end of the rear leg on the sameside of the chair as shown in Fig. 1 when the chair is in unfoldedoccupant receiving position. In such position the upper end of the rearleg is received within this channel and seats against the arm. A cushionelement 44 may be interposed between the arm and the upper end of theleg as shown in Fig. 6. This cushion element may be of rubber, felt orthe like and though here shown seated Within the arm it might be securedto the end of the leg.

As here illustrated the two pairs of legs are outspread at the bottom toform a secure support for the chair and approach but do not contact eachother at the top and when the chair is opened each pair of legs isfirmly connected with the arms. The connection between the seat and eachpair of legs is upon a fixed pivot. The con nection between the back andthe rear pair of legs is likewise upon a fixed pivot and as here shownis upon the pivotal connection of the seat with the rear pair of legs.The arms assist in the folding operation and are not merely appendagesbut rather form useful structural parts of the chair folding mechanismto provide a sturdy stable chair structure.

Through the arms and the back the rear pair of legs are linked with thefront legs. Through the seat the two pairs of legs are pivotallyconnected. Through the links 34 the two pairs of legs are pivotallyconnected. The pivotal connection of each link 34 with the rear leg isspaced above the seat a distance greater than its pivotal connectionwith the front leg and the front legs swing upwardly with respect to therear legs upon the folding of the chair. It will also be noted that thepivotal connections of the legs with the seat are spaced apart adistance greater than the pivotal connections of the legs through saidlinks 34.

When folded the front legs fold against the rear legs as shown in Fig.3. The seat folds substantially within the plane of the front legs dueto the fact that its pivotal connection with the rear legs is offset theplane of the seat and its pivotal connection with the front legs iswithin the plane of the seat. The back folds substantially within theplane of the rear legs and against the folded seat. The arms foldalongside of the back and as extensions of the rear legs. The chairfolds into substantially flat form convenient for stacking and storage.In the folding operation the front legs move upwardly with respect tothe rear legs as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

What I claim:

1. A folding arm chair comprising a pair of rear legs, a pair of frontlegs, a seat pivoted at its rear end between the rear legs, said seatpivoted intermediate its frontand rear between the front legs andadapted to fold therebetween, a back pivoted at its bottom between therear legs and adapted to fold therebetween, said front legs and rearlegs extending upwardly above their pivotal connections with the seatand back respectively, a pair of arms pivoted to the back, said armsadapted to fold alongside the back substantially within the planethereof and in alignment with the rear legs, said arms pivoted to theupper ends of the front legs and adapted to seat upon the upper ends ofthe rear legs upon' the unfolding of the chair to occupant supportingposition, means cushioning the seating of the arms upon the upper endsof the rear legs, and a pair of links pivotally connecting the front andrear legs in spaced relationship to the seat.

2. A folding arm chair comprising a pair of rear legs, a pair of frontlegs, a seat pivoted at its rear between the rear legs upon pivotsoffset the plane of the seat, said seat pivoted intermediate its endsbetween the front legs and adapted to fold therebetween, a back pivotedat its lower end between the rear legs and adapted to fold therebetween,said rear legs extending upwardly above their pivotal connection withthe back and seat, said front legs extending upwardly above theirpivotal connection with the seat, a pair of arms pivotally connectingthe back intermediate its top and bottom to the upper ends of the frontlegs, said arms having pocket portions adapted to detachably receive andseat upon the upper ends of the rear legs upon the unfolding of thechair to occupant supporting position, and a pair of links pivotallyconnecting the front and rear legs above said seat.

3. A folding arm chair comprising, in combination, a pair of front legs,a pair of rear legs, a seat pivoted intermediate its ends between thefront legs and pivoted at its rear end between the rear legs, a backpivoted at its lower end between the rear legs, a pair of arms pivotedat their rear ends to the back, said front legs extending above theirpivotal connection to the seat and pivotally connected at their upperends with the arms adjacent to the forward ends of the arms, said rearlegs extending above their pivotal connection with the seat and adaptedto detachably engage said arms rearwardly of their pivotal connectionwith the front legs when the chair is unfolded to occupant supportingposition, a pair of links pivotally connecting the front legs with therear legs in spaced apart relationship to the pivotal connections ofsaid legs with the seat, said front and rear legs adapted to foldtogether and said seat and back adapted to fold together between thefront and rear legs.

JOHN B. ADLER.

